Category: News

“And every finish is, in fact, a start”: How the results of the “Firefighters” project are adding to the security of Ukrainian communities

In September 2023, the FSM team started the implementation of project “Firefighters. Strengthening the capacity of Ukrainian communities through the development of voluntary fire brigades”. The purpose of the project is to support the process of introduction of a cutting-edge system of civil protection at the local level, partly by creating the voluntary fire brigades (VFB) in 8 communities of Ukraine, which have been selected on the basis of an open competitive tender, and to contribute to the improvement of legislation on civil protection. As a reminder: the creation of the VFB is a common European practice, because this model allows for quick response to fires and emergency situations even in remote settlements and does not create any extra burden on the local budget. Moreover, the creation and development of the voluntary fire brigade movement in local communities has a positive effect on the independence of these communities and raises the awareness of the responsibility for their own safety and development. The main result of 13 months of painstaking work by the FSM team and the project participants was the creation of 8 VFB in the communities of Sumy, Chernihiv, Rivne, Volyn, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Chernivtsi, and Poltava regions. As part of the “Firefighters” project, 96 firefighters underwent specialized training under the State Emergency Service program and were provided with the necessary equipment, with due account for the individual requests of each team. Throughout the project, the communities received regular organizational and legal support from Ukrainian and international experts regarding the creation and further development of the VFB. 252 settlements are currently under the protection of firefighters, which, in turn, means an improvement in the security level for over 180 thousand persons. You can get more information about the motivation of volunteers, achievements in the first months of work, impressions of local residents, and learn about the advantages of the development of voluntary firefighting in Ukrainian communities, from our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5_5BJy4J9w We extend appreciation to the project participants, partners and experts for overcoming another step on the way to the development of the European system of civil protection in Ukraine. The project was implemented with the financial support of the Polish Development Cooperation Partnership Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, as well as the The Department of State’s Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia within the framework of the 10th round of the Development Cooperation Partnership Program.

Video about the development of the project PRO_MentalHealth (Psychosocial Support in Ukraine)

Recently, PRO_MentalHealth, a psychosocial support project in Ukraine, celebrated its one-year anniversary. On this occasion, we are pleased to present a video about its history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3cNFFW105Y We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the testing of this pilot model of psychosocial services in Rivne region. About 80 people worked on it! In this video, we show the results of the work of the four Psychosocial Support Centres at the time of the video’s creation in October 2023. To date, the teams of the Centres have successfully conducted more than 5000 individual and group consultations, presentation meetings, including more than 3000 hours of psychological and psychiatric services. The PRO_MentalHealth project is an innovative tool for psychosocial support that fully meets the challenges of the National Mental Health Programme and correlates with the goals of legislative initiatives currently underway in Ukraine. Our pilot project has already gained a positive reputation for solving a number of problems in communities.   We are not resting on our laurels. The PRO_MentalHealth project is implemented by the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL) in partnership with BGK, the European Commission and the Polish Development Cooperation Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

The modern CT scanner for the Zhytomyr Regional Clinical Hospital

A renovated specialised room for medical scanning has been opened in Zhytomyr Regional Hospital. The room includes a multi-purpose CT scanner funded by the European Union, valued at approximately EUR 1 million. This new life-saving equipment will increase the quality of diagnostics and help improve the preparation of patients for operations of different levels of complexity. A modern CT scanner for the Zhytomyr Regional Clinical Hospital is a part of a big programme providing emergency aid to Ukraine. Thanks to the European Union funding, 25 ambulances fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, defibrillators, portable ventilators, ultrasound machines, and ECG machines were donated to 43 hospitals from July till November in the following regions of Ukraine: Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Kyiv.

A year of EU support to Ukraine Project implemented by SFPL and BGK

It has been over one year since the EU, in partnership with BGK (Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego) – the Polish Development Bank and Solidarity Fund PL, has been providing emergency aid to Ukraine. During the past year, the project reached 253 municipalities in 24 regions, supported communities and citizens, including internally displaced people, by providing medical aid, helping to overcome the energy crisis, improving their food security and fire safety. Food Security And Non-food Items From April 2022, the team of Solidarity Fund Poland has delivered to Ukrainian local communities 700 tons of long shelf life food, first aid kits, hygiene products, and other essentials. All items were procured and handed over taking into account the individual needs of each recipient. Support Ukraine’s emergency health needs Thanks to the European Union funding, 25 ambulances fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, defibrillators, portable ventilators, ultrasound machines, and ECG machines were donated to 43 hospitals from July till November in the following regions of Ukraine: Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, Kyiv. In early 2023, a modern CT scanner was put into service at the Zhytomyr Regional Clinical Hospital by Solidarity Fund Poland. Fire safety of Ukrainian local communities Local volunteer firefighting services are improving security as there is increased risk of fires due to unpredictable military activity. Thanks to the European Union funding, 70 communities in Ukraine’s 17 regions received firefighting equipment for their local or volunteer fire departments to help them react more quickly to fires, protect citizens’ lives and prevent property damage. The total cost of delivered goods is about 24 million hryvnias (over 660 000 euros). Aid for overcoming the energy crisis Winterisation and assistance aimed at overcoming the energy crisis became the project’s primary focus in the winter months when Ukrainians faced additional hardships linked to frequent blackouts and serious interruptions to the heat and water supply. The project delivered generators, oven-stoves, portable beds, and warm clothes. As a result – 102 communities ensured continuous work of kindergartens, schools, hospitals, youth centers, municipal enterprises, pumping stations, and other social infrastructure. Currently, the project goes on to address assistance where it’s most needed.

A new state-of-the-art CT scanner in Zhytomyr, Ukraine thanks to EU funding

A renovated specialised room for medical scanning has been opened in Zhytomyr Regional Hospital. The room includes a multi-purpose CT scanner funded by the European Union, valued at approximately EUR 1 million. The scanner, now put in service at the Zhytomyr Regional Clinical Hospital was purchased by the Solidarity Fund Poland in collaboration with the Polish Development Bank (Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego – BGK), with funding from, and as part of a European Union initiative. The hospital’s staff has received specialised training and the Department of X-ray Diagnostics is fully ready to receive patients. The Head Doctor of the regional hospital Bogdan Leskiv shared his thoughts about the EU supported new CT scanner: «Thanks to European partners’ support, today our hospital is taking a very important step forward. This new scanner will increase the quality of diagnostics and help improve the preparation of our patients for operations of different levels of complexity. This kind of diagnostics is especially valuable for patients with cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.» The opening of the medical imaging centre was attended by the President of the Solidarity Fund PL Rafał Dzięciołowski. He stressed that by helping Ukraine, the entire civilised world is showing a strong commitment to support Ukrainians on their path to victory and peace. The provision of the scanner is part of a larger EU funded initiative of EUR 27 million to provide immediate support, mostly in the area of health, to people and municipalities affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During the first year of the projects’ implementation, various kinds of emergency aid, funded by the European Union, were distributed to 253 municipalities in 24 regions of Ukraine. Assistance included more than 700 tons of food, hygiene products, baby food, more than 2000 generator, oven-stoves, and other goods to overcome the energy crisis. The municipalities also received equipment for their local or volunteer fire departments to respond to emergencies more efficiently during increased danger of fires. In addition, 43 hospitals from Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zhytomyr, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv regions received 25 ambulances carrying state-of-the-art equipment, hundreds of defibrillators, portable artificial lung ventilators, ultrasound machines, ECG machines, in addition to the CT scanner.

A state-of-the-art CT scanner will soon operate in Zhytomyr, Ukraine thanks to EU funding

A modern CT scanner has just been put in service at the Zhytomyr Regional Clinical Hospital serving patients from across the region. This new life-saving equipment has been procured by the Solidarity Fund PL in collaboration with the Polish Development Bank, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) and made possible with funding from the European Union. The multi-purpose CT scanner, valued at around forty million hryvnias (approximately EUR 1 million), will improve access to quality medical services and is part of the European Union’s health resilience assistance to Ukraine following the unjustified and illegal military invasion of Ukraine. Thanks to the EU’s funding, the hospital has also received a defibrillator, an ultrasound machine and a portable artificial lung ventilator. The scanner will contribute to the timely diagnosis of patients with cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease where early detection could make a vital difference. The hospital’s personnel have received specialised training and with the use of the machine they will be able to better identify diseases, suggest treatment and ultimately improve the patient’s quality of life. Photo: Suspilne Zhytomyr   The chief doctor of the regional hospital Bogdan Leskiv said: “We are extremely grateful to our European partners for their attention to the needs of our hospital. I am sure that this CT scanner will save hundreds of lives. By now, all stages of preparation and installation of the equipment completed, and our nurses and doctors are receiving appropriate training. It means that the process of treatment and preparation of our patients to operations of various levels of complexity will be more qualitative and professional soon.” #StandWithUkraine